


Forget-me-Not

by overworkedunderwhelmed



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, post-season 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23388295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overworkedunderwhelmed/pseuds/overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: With her back against the wall, Marinette is left with no choice but to do the very thing she swore she would never do; she knows what this decision means for her, and for all of Paris.And, as dire and desperate as everything seems, she can still hold fast to one hope: no matter what happens to her, there issomeonethat will never let her down.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 75
Kudos: 267





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Kellarhi and Yunyin for giving lots of feedback on this one.

Ladybug frowned, leaning out onto the cool concrete, her fingers angrily biting into the stone. She didn’t like this. She really, really didn’t like this.

Chat Noir was going to like this even less…

But Hawkmoth had gotten close. _Too_ close…

Day by day, it had grown only more apparent that he was zeroing in on everyone around her.

The last straw had come today, when her own mother had been Akumatized. 

For such a long time, she had been so lucky. It wasn’t often that her mother got mad. However, as even tempered as Sabine Cheng usually was, she didn’t play around. And when Marinette’s mother had caught her in a lie about where she’d been during a previous akuma attack, she hadn’t taken the perceived belligerence well.

Fighting her mother had been one of the most exhausting, harrowing battles she’d had to date.

After the butterfly was released and cleansed, she had had more than one panicked moment where she realized just how painfully easy it would have been to explain to her mother just why she had to leave so often, without her notice or approval…

But doing so would only leave both of her parents—and the rest of Paris—far less safe.

She’d already done a lot of soul searching, and suffered through enough sleepless nights to know this was the right choice—the last nail in the coffin that sealed her decision away for her. 

She flinched when she heard the familiar crunch of boots landing on the rooftop behind her.

The soft, sweet humor in his voice as he greeted her—a source of ease and comfort to her in any other respect—was like a punch to the gut. 

She didn’t look back; she didn’t dare. But, he needed to know. She owed him that much.

“Chat…” she breathed. “I need to give the Miracle box back to the Temple Guardians.”

“What?” he asked, and she heard his soft footfalls stop as he paused just behind her. “Wait. What did you just say?” 

When she didn’t immediately answer, she heard his feet again as he resumed movement.

“Why?” Chat Noir exhaled sharply, clearly aghast. “So, what... you’re just giving up?”

She peered over her shoulder, watching him restlessly pace behind her. It wasn’t like she didn’t understand that hopelessly incredulous feeling, but right now...it was so important to her that he understand this was what they _needed_ to do… It was the only way all of this was going to work...

Sighing heavily, she steeled herself, hoping to come across as matter-of-fact with him, even as she still felt very worried about the very long possible list of unknowns. “You know they’ve trained hard for that job.”

His jaw dropped, and he halted suddenly to do a double take back at her.

“And we _haven’t_?”

Her face fell. “You know that’s not what I mean…”

He shook his head, still mired in disbelief. “It just… this doesn’t make sense, Ladybug!” Indecision tore at him; he wasn’t sure if he should run off into the night to vent the frustration he was feeling, or stay to shake his idea of sense into her. “We both know you've worked so hard just to be able to take over for Master Fu. Why on earth do you think you need to stop now? What changed?”

“Chat…" she breathed, her lips quivering with barely checked emotion. "Right now, there is too much risk—to me, to my family. It’s risky _enough_ being Ladybug. But having all of this in my hands… if Hawkmoth _were_ to find me…” She shook her head adamantly.

His face fell, shoulders drooping. She could see the sense of it all getting through to him. But he clearly wasn’t going to give up. 

She smiled ruefully as she watched the grim determination settle across his features. No, he wasn’t going to let this go without a fight. It wouldn’t be him, otherwise… 

“I can’t do this without you, Ladybug.” His head shook, forehead clearly pinched even above the dark shadows of his mask. “I wouldn’t want to…”

“I know, Minou…” She looked heartbroken as she reached out to him absently, resting her gloved fingers against his extended forearms. “I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else either…” She smiled wearily, cupping his face as she rose up onto her tiptoes. “And I can say that without hesitation… because I know who you are.”

“My Lady…” he whimpered, his chin trembling slightly. His wide green eyes searched hers desperately. “When?”

“I’ve known for a little while.” Ladybug closed her eyes, retreating behind the mask. “There never really was a right time to talk about it. Not with… well, not with everything… not without taking time away from Kagami.”

Breathless, Chat Noir gaped.

She smiled sadly. If he had any lingering doubts, that statement alone was sure to eliminate them. “And I didn’t want to get in the way of anyone who might be making you happy…”

He wet his lips, glassy glowing green eyes searching hers. “I wouldn't have minded the interference from you, my Lady…”

“Minou…” Her eyes and hands both lowered. “I know exactly how much happiness has been missing from your life. I wasn’t about to take any more from you. Not if I could help it...”

His posture stiffened as he dragged a clawed hand over his face. 

“It’s already bad enough that Hawkmoth seems to be circling close to me, and the whole box of Miraculous...” Ladybug was firm on this, crossing her arms over her chest and making every centimeter of height count. “But I can’t put _you_ at risk too. It isn’t _safe_ , Minou. I’ll do anything I have to in order to keep Paris safe, which includes protecting you. _Especially_ you…” she murmured, bringing one hand up to rest along his cheek again. 

At a loss, he silently nuzzled her hand and peered down at her, the heartbreak never more clear in his eyes. “Even if you forget yourself?”

She exhaled sharply, nodding decisively. “I don’t _want_ to, believe me. But if there were any other option… any other way...”

He pressed again. “Even if you forget me…?”

She looked crestfallen, slowly pulling back her hands to her side. Silently reminding herself -- again and again -- just why all of this had to happen. “If that’s what it takes. If I forget… then it keeps you safer, too.”

Chat Noir blinked slowly, his eyes scanning, searching hers for even one last iota of doubt. Finally he released the bated breath he’d been hopefully holding, firmly tugging her into his arms. “Then I’ll have to remember it all for you.” 

“Of course,” her lips quirked upwards, her voice deceptively matter of fact to cover the waves of emotion bubbling up under the surface . “Who else could I trust to help show me the ropes all over again?”

He hugged her tightly. “I _really_ don’t want you to do this, My lady…”

“I know, Kitty.” She drew back momentarily before leaning in again to press her lips to his cheek. “Believe me… I _know_.”

He watched her pull away and quickly disappear into a red speck along the skyline before he turned home.

* * *

Officer Roger frowned, pulling his squad car over. He hadn’t expected to find a rather dazed high school girl sitting alone in the empty park… not at that time of night. Not as careful as the general populace had started to be to prevent being Akumatized.

“It isn’t safe to be out this late… not with all the Akuma.” he called to her as he approached.

Blinking, she glanced over at him, brows squished together in a clear sign of confusion. “What are _Akuma_?”

“Huh…” Roger tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at her. That definitely wasn’t something he heard everyday. Definitely not from anyone who spoke like a native “You’re… in my daughter’s class I think?’

“Honestly…” her eyes dipped down to the ground. “I’m not really sure of anything right now.”

He took a hard look at her. The girl seemed a bit confused. Her face certainly was familiar now, but oddly, she appeared to be quite a bit smaller than the teenager she must be if she was truly in Sabrina’s class—she seemed somehow withdrawn. 

Frowning, he asked her to open up her purse. She pulled out a student ID card, blinking at the image on it before handing it over to him. 

It was easy for him to assume that she must have taken a tumble of some sort; though her pupils were responsive, her memory was far less so. 

“Well, Miss, Dupain-Cheng.” Office Roger murmured, adjusting his cap. “Come with me.”

She blanched. “I’m… I’m not in trouble, am I?”

He shook his head. “I’m going to get you over to the hospital so they can make sure you’re alright. There’s no telling if there is some “memory” Akuma we just haven’t heard about yet, or if you somehow hit your head.”

“I’m going to call your parents so they can be with you at the hospital, alright? So, please just follow me, we’ll get this sorted in no time,” he suggested, as he led her out of the park to his vehicle.

* * *

Marinette sighed. The hours felt much, much longer here in the hospital. 

Her parents had come in earlier, but visiting hours were already over. Since she had come in so late and was being held overnight for observation, they were ushered back out after only an hour.

She was drowsy, far more tired than she could remember. Of course, according to everyone she had talked to that nearly wasn’t as much as she was supposed to be remembering…

She frowned as she saw something flash by in the corner of her vision; it had to be a trick of the light. Or, maybe she was just seeing things since she had apparently hit her head—not that it hurt all that much.

Marinette blinked… and blinked again, but the red blur didn’t disappear.

“Bug mouse!” She yelped as the blur came into clear view, scurrying away as much as the IV drip and heart monitoring equipment would allow. She pulled the pillow out from behind herself with an oof.

“Marinette,” Tikki whispered. “Try not to be afraid.” The red kwami pointed to the bag of Marinette’s clothes by the door. “You left yourself a letter…”

Blinking, Marinette sat up, tilting her head as she dropped the pillow behind her back. 

It took some effort to get herself situated. The red blur—Tikki, she’d claimed—dove into her bag for the note and then, helpfully, switched on the reading light above her bed.

* * *

Adrien ambled into class on autopilot the next morning before he slumped wearily down into his seat. Briefly, his eyes raked over the classroom, taking stock of the exits and the eyes that would be on him if he needed to make a rapid escape. It was a practical precaution that had become an all too necessary daily habit against the near endless stream of Akuma.

Nino frowned over at him. “Didn’t sleep well?”

Adrien shook his head, with a half-smile. “Not really.”

That was a bit of an understatement; he hadn’t slept at all last night. He had contemplated chasing after Ladybug as she’d darted away into the night, but he knew she would have been mad if he’d followed. And he would have hated to know her last true memory of him was a bad one. Instead, he’d gone home and, as luck would have it, rain started to fall almost immediately after. It effectively locked him inside, and he was left to his own devices to puzzle out how best to help her.

For hours, he couldn’t help but look into the gloom, mourning everything he had lost; things would never be the same. Ladybug never did anything by halves. There was a lot she hadn’t said aloud… a lot she never had to. He’d spent so long watching her, learning to understand her specifically. If she had only planned to hand the box over for someone to watch for a few days, then she would have been specific. 

She had a plan. She _always_ had a plan. 

If not… if his instincts -- that sharper fear of losing her, _too_ \-- had been wrong, he trusted that she would have not hesitated to correct him.

Adrien exhaled sharply. He always thought they would be protecting Paris side by side, for many years to come. It never had occurred to him that they might still be working together but without all the memories that they’d forged together.

He couldn’t stand to waste any time… not when they couldn’t afford it. Instead, Adrien spent those few restless hours trying to compile every piece of battle knowledge he could for her. If she didn’t have it at the ready in her own hand, he would use all the years of his memorization skill to help her fill in those gaps.

Blinking, Adrien’s eyes turned to Principal Damocles who was now appearing via video conferencing. His eyes darted over to the clock, noting there were still a few minutes to spare ahead of class.

“Good Morning, class.” 

The rumble of “Good Morning,” rose up in response. 

Bushy brows furrowed prominently on the screen.

“I am afraid I have some sad news. Your classmate, Marinette Dupain Cheng, took a bit of a tumble.”

An audible gasp swept over the class. Adrien gaped, now far more awake than he had been in hours. His grip tightened on the edge of the desk, and he peered back anxiously at the empty seat behind him. He had distantly noticed she wasn’t at her desk yet… but it wasn’t all that unusual for her to race in at the bell.

“She’s alright, it seems. Physically, at least.” Principal Damocles’ dark brows rose. “However, it seems she _did_ hit her head and is having a bit of an issue with her memory.”

The class devolved into hushed whispers… not that he paid the rest of them much mind. Not with his gaze so irrevocably pulled to the empty seat behind him.

Adrien’s eyes widened. It couldn’t be. 

He had only just lost her…

What were the odds that he could find her again, too… all so quickly?

He blinked, peering furtively over his shoulder. Then again… Ladybug _knew_ just how close he had been...

Resolutely, he grabbed his bag, and ran out of the class. “Sorry… I forgot about a photo session.”

Madame Bustier clearly was already a little flummoxed and merely waved him off. 

“Marinette will be taking a few days off—” was the last thing he heard as he careened out of the classroom.

* * *

Despite his year and change of practice sprinting outside of school, Adrien couldn’t have escaped any faster. 

His mind was racing, far more quickly than his feet could. 

Long ago, he had realized there was a remote chance that he might figure out who Ladybug was behind the mask. But, he never would have believed she was literally so close…

Adrien shook his head, mentally mapping out a path to the closest flower stand. 

It was only as he got near that he realized buying his Lady flowers as Adrien Agreste would have been a news story in and of itself. It wasn’t a good idea—not with his father still looking for signs that he was dating Kagami. They might not have worked out so well romantically, but they had worked very well as each other’s excuse to get out and see the world a good deal more.

He wouldn’t put Kagami’s freedom on the line like that. 

Ducking into an alley and pulling a small bundle of euros from his wallet, he transformed. 

Once suited up, Chat Noir raced through the drizzling rain, stopping into a little flower stand for a bouquet with pink roses (in a shade she was so clearly fond of), and the tiniest blue flowers that put him in mind of his Lady’s eyes…

Grinning, he left the shop, ducking to stop and smell the flowers, when a flash of red caught his eye.

With a rush of hope, he ducked into the little boutique next door to the florist.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to Khanofallorcs and Zekroudon for beta reading! This wouldn't be so clean without your help!

An overly cautious, rain-soaked Chat Noir ducked into the hospital. Anxiously, he rushed up to the desk, bouquet of flowers and an unused red, umbrella in hand. 

If Marinette was there, maybe — just maybe — his newfound luck would hold and he’d be sent in the direction of her room.

“I had a friend come in with a bump to the head. Ladybug and I— we were worried that she might have been injured after the last battle…”

The matronly older woman sitting at the front desk narrowed her eyes at him over her glasses. “I’m sorry, Chat Noir. We’re not allowed to give this information out. Not even for superheroes.”

He sighed, shoulders slumping dejectedly, bouquet wilting much as he started to. “I understand… I guess I’ll stop in and check with her parents…”

The receptionist gave him a wan smile. “That would probably be best.”

* * *

Sabine and Tom hovered beside Marinette’s chaise, each stealing a long hug as she would tolerate now that she was back in the safety of her room. “I’ve brought up your favorite macarons, and we’ll both take turns coming up to check in on you when business slows down later this morning.”

Her father peered back tearfully, only moving as her mother held his hand and tugged him along. “Now, you just focus on resting up.” 

“I’ll be fine,” She smiled, waving and wincing slightly as she slightly jostled the bandage on her arm where the IV drip had been. “I promise.”.

As the door finally snicked closed, Marinette frowned, listening for a few minutes for the sound of their footsteps and low, worried whispers to fade. No matter how many assurances she made to the doctors, they had insisted she stay there for observation for the night. 

Stubbornly, she got up out of the bed. They still had her on fluids as a precaution, but she wanted her phone.

“Marinette,” Tikki hissed, “they _just_ reminded you to rest.”

Wobbling slightly, Marinette walked over to her desk and snagged her phone, eyeing the endless chain of notifications. “And you told me that apart from my memory, I’m fine.” She snagged a macaron from the tiny pile as she sank down her desk chair. “Just a little hungry.”

Tikki pouted at the plate silently. 

Marinette sighed. If no one had told her she was missing whole months of her life, she would have thought she was ready to start the school year. 

After she got a very long nap, of course..

Instead, after spending most of the night discussing with...her Kwami — that was the word, wasn’t it? — she now knew she was missing most of the year, and was desperate to understand everything that she was missing.

Her parents really could only tell her so much, especially as the doctors had warned them to be closed lipped and let her recover her memories naturally.

Marinette sighed. If she wanted to know more, she was going to have to figure it out herself.

Luckily, her phone lock code was the one of the few things that hadn’t changed.

The number of well wishes from last year’s classmates checking on her was a little startling. There was even one from Sabrina, of all people…

Her brows rose, skeptically. And one from Chloé. “See,” Tikki chirped. “I told you. Even if Chloé had been an awful brat in the past, you made strides in leaps and bounds this year, Marinette.” 

Hugging her knees to her chest, Marinette’s thumb kept scrolling past get well message after get well message. Most of the messages, however, had come from Alya...a name she didn’t recognize.

Even after their long chat, it was only just starting to sink in just how much she had clearly forgotten.

Biting her lip, Marinette opened up her computer, typing in the password. “Well, I can’t decide if I can handle all of this if I don’t even know what I’m getting myself into.”

After she inhaled sharply when that didn’t work, Tikki swooped in, tapping her toes across the keyboard with the newest one.. 

“You’re sure this is me?” She frowned, watching the clip of her swinging through Paris. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that graceful.”

“You’re borrowing a little of my powers, of course.” Tikki chuckled, as the footage looped again. “A bit more grace and athleticism...and a fair bit of luck. But every bit of courage and every bit of cleverness comes entirely from you, Marinette.”

“Really?” Marinette shook her head in disbelief. There was a lot she could do, she knew. But knitting a whole scarf was leaps and bounds from...well, taking leaps and bounds of the top of Montparnasse Tower.

Tikki nodded without hesitation. “I’ve been beside you for almost the whole school year. The order of the Guardians could easily have taken me back from you as well. Especially with these new holes in your memory" She confided, patting her tiny hands through her sweep of bangs hanging mournfully before her eyes. “But they saw what you have done — what you _chose_ to do — and they deemed you worthy.”

* * *

From the rooftop across the street, Chat Noir set up on the rooftop, tucking the bouquet and the umbrella up under the eaves where no one else would find them. 

Shifting his focus down into the bakery, he scoured the windows for a sign they were open. Though the windows were a bit tinted, he could just make out the glow from the lights within. The sign hadn’t been flipped over just yet. 

He exhaled sharply, vaulting across the street to land out in front of their window to take a closer look inside. 

That had to mean that Marinette was back home, right?

He grabbed the handle, only finding the door still locked when he pulled.

However, being a superhero apparently counted for something.

Sabine raced to the door. “Is there an Akuma, Chat Noir?”

“No,” he was quick to assure her. “I just wanted to stop in and see if Marinette was alright?”

Her parents shot a quick look at each other as Tom walked in from the kitchens in the back. “She’s back home and sleeping right now.”

It was only then that he released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in. “I was worried. She's been such a big help in the past.” He trailed off, as he realized just how much she had been doing on either side of the mask, now that he knew...

When wide-eyes panic set in on their faces, he realized he’d misstepped. “Even just by keeping others calm in the middle of an attack.”

“That’s my girl,” Sabine whispered. Automatically she grabbed one of the croissants from the tray Tom just carried in and wrapped it up for Chat.

He gratefully accepted her kindness, though the frown lingered on his lips. “She really can't remember?”

Her parents shared a quiet look before Tom grunted an affirmative. “Not really much since the start of the year.”

Chat Noir winced. Then Marinette was sure to have forgotten him entirely. That was much worse than he’d feared.

“Chat Noir,” Sabine’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure why my daughter was outside so late at night or how she hit her head. So, I have to ask. Do _you_ know?”

He shook his head sadly. Sure, he could guess from what little of the plan she’d shared, but he didn’t really know. “Unfortunately, no. I didn’t have patrol yesterday, and there has been no word from Ladybug since our last battle.”

Sabine’s shoulders slumped. 

He winced. Marinette’s parents were both so kind...and he hated the fact that he was disappointing them.

Unfortunately, he really needed to talk to Ladybug...and soon. Hawkmoth won't let them wait for long.

“Would you mind if I stopped back in a little to check on if she’s awake and up for company?”

Tom smiled. “We can’t guarantee that she’ll remember, but it probably would be good for her to get a warning about Akumas from one of the heroes himself.”

* * *

Two floors above, Marinette was definitely not asleep. Even after she lay down, her eyes kept darting around the room. 

Once it was clear that sleep wasn’t going to be possible, she brought her knitting basket back over to the chaise so she could at least keep her hands busy, in an attempt to keep calm.

She held up the tiny remnant of blue skein of yarn. “That’s a shame. I really liked this yarn.”

Tikki simply grinned. “You said as much when you used the rest of it to make a full scarf.”

Marinette blinked, taking stock of how much of the threads and knits were missing. “How long did that take?” 

“You were particularly motivated and it was finished in just a few days.” Tikki confided. “But that’s hardly all you worked on.”

Box after box, Tikki showed her clothes and hats and jewelry, all neatly stashed and stowed neatly into every spare corner. “And _here_ is the album cover you designed for Jagged Stone.”

That brought a gaping Marinette up off the chaise. “You’re kidding? _The_ Jagged Stone?” 

“You impressed him, Marinette.” Tikki just grinned. “Because I am so close to you, I help to keep your creativity flowing. Your clever and creative mind is one of your biggest weapons in battle. It’s just a bonus that you thrive so wonderfully under pressure. And most of the practice you had already put into your art just made you more focused on the details that make all the difference”

CD in hand, Marinette felt dazed. It all seemed like an impossible dream. 

She expected — any minute now — that she’d be waking up and ready to stumble back downstairs to start the new year.

However, her world didn’t turn on its axis and fade into darkness. Everything stayed remarkably...troublingly, permanent.

She stood back up, pacing. “How will I ever be able to do all of this again if I don’t understand how it happened the first time?”

“Marinette…” Tikki whispered. 

Marinette stopped over at the wall beside her desk, staring at the pictures of friends new and old alike. With too many faces she didn’t recognize at all… “They’re going to be disappointed.”

“They’ll understand that it wasn’t your fault.”

Marinette frowned. “But was it?”

“There wasn’t much more that you could have done without putting them all at risk...many of them had been holding Miraculous for you after all…” Tikki beamed. “You’ve already given up so much of yourself, Marinette. Don’t be harder on yourself than you need to be… You’ve learned a lot before. I have no doubt you can learn it all again.”

Marinette squared her shoulders. Picking up the headphones, she sat back down at her desk, knitting in hand. “Well, if my parents won’t let me go to class, then I’ll just have to catch up on everything else.”

* * *

By the time lunch was nearly over, Chat Noir raced back to Marinette’s. He’d only stopped home long enough to eat lunch and then he was stretching his legs on the rooftops.

He ended up stopping on the rooftop he’d set up for that ill-fated date with Ladybug. At least Marinette had gotten to see it. She had been visibly surprised when they talked on this very balcony that his feelings for Ladybug were very real. To know his feelings, even if she hadn’t been able to reassure him that she valued him as a dear friend, even if she’d already given her heart away. 

Of course, his eyes widened in realization, if she had forgotten him...what were the chances that she had also forgotten her feelings for whomever else she liked?

Chat Noir shook his head. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to just suddenly lose all the feelings he had for her in one fell swoop. He had no doubt it would leave him devastated if he were in her place.

Even if she did prefer to think with her head, he was the one who had to make sure to guard her heart so she could continue to do so. 

Even if _that_ meant he would have to hold his own feelings back to do so.

With a renewed sense of urgency, Chat Noir raced the rest of the way to the bakery. If he was lucky, her parents would take a break and check in on Marinette. There wasn’t a lot of time before school would start, but it would be enough.

He vaulted up to the overhanging rooftop where he had stowed the bouquet and the umbrella, when he caught a glimpse of very familiar pigtails through the window across the way.

Beaming, he dropped down into the alleyway. 

_Or purr_ haps, it would be much easier to go straight to the source.

* * *

Clutching the bouquet in one hand and the red umbrella in the other, Adrien fussed with his hair in the alley beside the bakery, practically vibrating as Plagg hovered beside him. 

He stepped into the foyer and tried ringing the door. 

Setting the soaked umbrella down, he started to pace, waiting for another few minutes before trying again.

Plagg eyed his near-endless motion. “I could phase through the door and just let you in, kid.” 

Shrugging, Adrien smiled sadly. “But she doesn’t know me. Not yet.”

He left his umbrella down, shuffling over to the bakery door. “I really don’t want to get her in trouble with her parents, either.”

* * *

In the end, her parents wouldn’t let him go up, especially not with so little time before classes would start up again. “The doctors told us she needs to remember on her own. Give her time, Adrien. I promise...She’ll come around.”

He sighed… “Could you give her these, then?”

Tom’s eyes widened. “Forget-me-nots, eh?”

Sabine chuckled. “I’m sure she’ll be happier to get that straight from you later. Maybe after school hours this afternoon?”

* * *

Poring through videos from the Ladyblog, Marinette mirrored her own moves as they appeared on the screen. 

Her mind might not remember...but it seemed like her muscles did.

Which was encouraging… 

Much as she still had doubts, it was clear that Tikki had been right about what she shared so far. The more she watched, the more it was increasingly clear so much of her battle plans had relied heavily on creative solutions...and she had already had tons of practice before she’d ever met Tikki.

At least, this might allow her to comb over every aspect with fresh eyes… and possibly new ideas.

She had to look on the bright side here. Anything more really was a little _too much_ to process all at once.

One thing was clear to her, in video after video. There was one other person who was also critically important. Even if she had forgotten, he still had all of the memories that she had just lost. 

Surprisingly, her little Kwami hadn’t been nearly so forthcoming with details about her partner.

Forcefully, she mirrored herself by shooting out her makeshift yoyo to knock out an Akuma. Unfortunately, the blue yarn definitely didn’t have the same sort of momentum. She’d tied the end of it around her finger, only to have the other part of the blue yarn half tangle up in her pigtails. It was clear that outside of the transformation she had far less control and the force of her throw sent her chair spinning enough to send her tumbling backwards out of it.

With a groan she stood up, massaging her now aching back.

Wearily, she gently tugged at her ribbons to free them of the tangle.

Quietly, Tikki hovered over by the window, peering down at the streets below. The rain had left the sidewalk mostly empty. 

All except a boy around her age. His shoulders were slumped and his rain-soaked hair matted down, white shirt darkening to match the black fabric beneath in the rain.

She spotted him looking up from the window...and then walking away somber in the rain…holding something she couldn’t make out in his hand...

“Who is that?”

Tikki smiled. “That’s...a _friend_. He must have been ringing the bell downstairs.”

Frowning, Marinette stood up and headed towards the trap door to the lower level. Tikki could tell her a lot. But there had to be more even she didn’t know.

“Marinette?”

She peered back over her shoulder at Tikki. “Yeah?”

“It’s raining.” Tikki smiled sweetly, nodding to the far corner of the room. “You should take the umbrella.”

* * *

“Hey!” Marinette shouted, trying valiantly to open up the umbrella as she raced down the rain-slicked streets. “Wait up!”

He peered back over his shoulder, just in time for her to collide with his chest, umbrella first. 

“Whoa! Careful now.” His green eyes softened, deftly spinning and cushioning her fall. “Wouldn’t want you to slip and fall…”

Her smile grew rueful. “I don’t know… apparently, some of the doctors thought it might knock some of the memories back into place.”

He searched her eyes, hopeful. “Do you.... Do you know who I am?”

She bit her lip. She didn’t know him...and yet somehow, she really, truly did. She could read his expression with startling ease... “Not really?” 

He winced, opening up the umbrella to cover them both. 

Of course, the faux-yo got tangled in the broken umbrella button, catching the bit of blue yarn still tied to her finger and tugging it upward.

Marinette yelped as the sharp movement tugged her suddenly forward.

A strange mix of amusement and wonder flooded his gaze as they stood side by side under the leaky umbrella.

Blushing, she turned away first, not quite sure what to make of his odd reaction. 

Her eyes closed, tugging the details from her fragmented memories… “I did see all the photos in my room this morning.There was a picture of you and a few others on my desk. I assume you must be one of my friends.”

He was doing that soft smile again, and it was doing dodgy things to her heart… “I am.”

“Oh,” she breathed, finally glancing down at the flowers in his hand. “Was that for me?”

He nodded, handing over the half-smushed bouquet. “I’m afraid they didn’t hold up so well, but I wasn’t exactly expecting you to catch up with me again so soon.”

She grinned. “You mean, you weren’t expecting _me_ to run into you.”

“That, too.” His smile grew delightfully crooked, as he held the now open umbrella over them both. “I guess I should reintroduce myself then. My name is Adrien… and I really ought to get you back to your house before your parents start to worry.” 

With a silent nod, she fell into step beside him. He was careful not to touch her, but his arm hovered behind, as if reassuring himself he would catch her if she fell.

She tuned it out. It wasn’t exactly like she could explain to a friend that she hadn’t exactly hit her head… even only having known it for one night, Tikki had made it endlessly clear that this was a secret to be kept from absolutely anyone else...for their own protection.

Happily, she lifted the bundle of blossoms up to her nose, overpowered by the scent of the baby pink roses... nestled in between the sea of tiny blue flowers. 

At the door, he hovered, not leaving until he saw her safely up into the real entrance of the house. 

She peered back…halfway up the step, before she scurried back and gave him a hug. “Thank you… for the flowers.”

He flushed adorably at the contact, and stunned though he clearly was… he didn’t pull away. Not until she broke contact herself.

He leaned in, pressing the most gentle, rain-dampened kiss to her cheek. “Your friendship means everything to me.”

Blinking, Marinette drew back, feeling her cheeks warm. 

Startled by the chime of the mid-day bell, Adrien ducked out from under the umbrella. He raced back down the street towards school, calling over his shoulder... “See you later, Marinette!”

Her words had failed her utterly, until he was nearly out of sight. “S-see you!”


End file.
